Union leader Shashank Rao has asked for an increase in salaries of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) conductors and drivers, including '500 as pollution allowance.
Union leader Shashank Rao has asked for an increase in salaries of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) conductors and drivers, including '500 as pollution allowance.
Mr Rao, who heads the only union recognised by the BEST (BEST Workers Union), has asked for an increase in the basic salary for the junior grade level from '5,430 to '7,930 and an increase for those earning '15,300 to '18,000, citing the research behind the seventh pay commission.
“Our people need wages that are equal to the expenditure we incur today. The last hike in the salaries was back in 2012 and we think that after four years it is high time the administration increased pay,” said Mr Rao. The demand comes only a week after BEST general manager Jagdish Patil said during one of the organisations meeting that the undertaking will not be able to pay the salaries of almost 20,000 drivers and conductors who have been recruited to run a total of 4,600 buses.
When asked how the BEST would be able to meet the union’s demand considering its financial condition, Mr Rao said it was up to the transport utility and the BMC to raise the money. “Every government that runs transport services across the world incurs losses so they cannot say that they will not be able to afford the raise,” he said.
The BEST currently employs 9,719 drivers and 10,649 conductors.
Mr Rao has said that Mr Patil would discuss the issue of salary hikes by the end of June.
